Publications by authors named "Hu DU"

Herein, a photocatalytic strategy for the synthesis of secondary alcohols by nucleophilic addition of an alkene with an aldehyde is described. This operationally simple methodology opens an approach for the synthesis of alcohols using commercially available reagents in moderate to excellent yields. Mechanistic studies indicate that the formation of the radical anion from alkene via single-electron transfer is the key step in this reaction.

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  • Natural vegetation restoration is effective for ecological restoration in fragile areas, but the impact on soil microorganisms is not well understood.
  • Using high-throughput sequencing, the study examines soil bacterial and fungal community dynamics during forest succession in Southwest China.
  • Results show higher bacterial diversity in secondary forests, a close resemblance between bacterial communities in primary forests and shrublands, and notable variations in fungal communities across different stages, with soil pH being a key factor influencing these dynamics.
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  • MAFLD is a disease that affects people with type 2 diabetes, and this study looks at a protein called ISM1 that might help with sugar levels in the body.
  • The researchers tested 250 people, dividing them into groups based on their health, and checked their ISM1 levels to find out how it relates to MAFLD.
  • They found that people with both MAFLD and diabetes had higher ISM1 levels, and these levels were linked to being overweight and other health issues.
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Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) is a widely consumed leafy vegetable known for its various health-beneficial nutrients.

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The conversion of farmland to forest in China has been recognized for its positive impact on above-ground vegetation and carbon sequestration. However, the impact on soil quality during land conversion, particularly in vulnerable karst areas, has received less attention. In this study conducted in a karst area of southwest China, eight different farmland conversion strategies were investigated to assess improvements in surface soil carbon, nitrogen, and ecosystem multi-functionality (EMF).

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  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe lung condition with key features including fluid buildup in the lungs, inflammatory cell influx, and difficulty in oxygenation, largely driven by endothelial cell damage and inflammation.
  • Disulfiram (DSF), a medication typically used for alcohol abuse, has been discovered to inhibit a specific process in cell death (pyroptosis), making it a potential treatment option for inflammatory diseases like ARDS.
  • The researchers developed a nanoparticle delivery system (DTP-LET@DSF NPs) using liposomes to target lung cells, successfully demonstrating reduced toxicity and effective treatment in mice models by preventing cell death and cytokine storms associated with ARDS.
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Background: Photoperiod, or the length of the day, has a significant impact on the flowering and sex differentiation of photoperiod-sensitive crops. The "miben" pumpkin (the main type of Cucurbita moschata Duch.) is well-known for its high yield and strong disease resistance.

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The application of DNA barcoding has been significantly limited by the scarcity of reliable specimens and inadequate coverage and replication across all species. The deficiency of DNA barcode reference coverage is particularly striking for highly biodiverse subtropical and tropical regions. In this study, we present a comprehensive barcode library for woody plants in tropical and subtropical China.

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The karst forest is one of the extremely sensitive and fragile ecosystems in southwest China, where the biogeochemical cycling of mercury (Hg) is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the litterfall deposition, accumulation, and soil migration of Hg in an evergreen-deciduous broadleaf karst forest using high-resolution sampling and stable isotope techniques. Results show that elevated litterfall Hg concentrations and fluxes in spring are due to the longer lifespan of evergreen tree foliage exposed to atmospheric Hg.

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Plant communities strongly influence soil microbial communities and, in turn, soil carbon (C) cycling. Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is an important parameter for predicting soil C accumulation, yet how plant and soil microbial community traits influence microbial CUE remains poorly understood. Here, we determined how soil microbial CUE is influenced by plant and soil microbial community traits, by studying a natural gradient of plant species diversity in a subtropical forest.

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Phage therapy has re-emerged as a promising solution for combating antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections. Increasingly, studies have revealed that phages possess therapeutic potential beyond their antimicrobial properties, including regulating the gut microbiome and maintain intestinal homeostasis, as a novel nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery. However, the complexity and unpredictability of phage behavior during treatment pose a significant challenge in clinical practice.

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Understanding the spatial heterogeneity of soil available medium- and micro-elements in karst area can provide a valuable theoretical guideline for soil nutrient management of karst ecosystem. We collected soil samples at a soil depth of 0-10 cm using grid sampling (20 m×20 m) in a 25 hm (500 m×500 m) dynamic monitoring plot. We further analyzed the spatial variability of soil medium- and micro-elements and their drivers, with classic statistics analysis and geo-statistics analysis.

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In modern geochemistry, phosphorus (P) is considered synonymous with phosphate (Pi) because Pi controls the growth of organisms as a limiting nutrient in many ecosystems. The researchers therefore realised that a complete P cycle is essential. Limited by thermodynamic barriers, P was long believed to be incapable of redox reactions, and the role of the redox cycle of reduced P in the global P cycling system was thus not ascertained.

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Intestinal flora regulation is an effective method to intervene and treat diseases associated with microbiome imbalance. In addition to conventional probiotic supplement, phage delivery has recently exhibited great prospect in modifying gut flora composition and regulating certain gene expression of gut bacteria. However, the protein structure of phage is vulnerable to external factors during storage and delivery, which leads to the loss of infection ability and flora regulation function.

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  • Tree mortality plays a critical role in determining forest ecology by influencing spatial patterns and interspecific relationships among tree species.
  • A study conducted in the Mulun National Natural Reserve analyzed spatial point patterns before and after tree mortality, revealing that most tree species remained clustered but that some random distributions emerged post-mortality.
  • The findings suggest that tree mortality lessens competition among dominant species, leading to a more stabilized community structure as evidenced by increased positive associations among species after tree deaths.
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Objective To explore the prognostic value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) in predicting mortality within 28 days among sepsis patients,and to investigate the risk factors of hs-cTnT elevation. Methods The clinical and laboratory data of patients with sepsis or septic shock who were hospitalized at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from December 2017 to September 2021 were collected and retrospectively analyzed.The patients were assigned into a hs-cTnT elevated group (hs-cTnT>0.

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As a significant part of outdoor built-environment, public open spaces are closely associated with people's daily lives. Studies of outdoor behavior in these spaces can shed light on users' environmental perceptions and contribute to the promotion of physiological and psychological health. Many recent studies are case studies focused where observations, surveys and interviews have been conducted to understand the factors influencing people's behavior on one or few sites or city environments.

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Purpose: The purpose of our study was to explore the prognostic value of complete blood count and myocardial markers combination with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in predicting the 28-day mortality among sepsis patients.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was performed. Three hundred and nineteen sepsis patients who were hospitalized at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China, from January 2019 to September 2021 were included.

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The combination of adsorption-photocatalysis and advanced oxidation processes (AOP) based on sulfate (SO) for the treatment of organic pollution has the advantages of a high degradation rate, affordability, and an absence of secondary pollution. This study combined amphiphilic super-crosslinked porous cyclodextrin resin (PBCD-B-D), bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr), a composite material with dual functions of adsorption and photocatalysis, and AOP based on SO for the treatment of Acid Orange 7 (AO7) in water. The combination of BiOBr/PBCD-B-D (BOP-24) with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) showed an optimal adsorption-photocatalytic effect.

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Background: The effectiveness of adjunctive corticosteroid use in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains inconclusive.

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of adjunctive corticosteroid therapy in patients with severe COVID-19.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the difference in several outcomes between patients with severe COVID-19 who received corticosteroid therapy (the corticosteroid group) and patients with severe COVID-19 who did not receive corticosteroid therapy (the non-corticosteroid group).

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  • The study investigates how arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) associations influence tree diversity across different latitudes, using data from over 2.8 million trees.
  • AM trees were found to significantly contribute to reducing total tree diversity and turnover while enhancing nestedness at higher latitudes, contrasting with EcM trees that show less influence on compositional differences.
  • Environmental factors, especially temperature and precipitation, were more closely related to the beta-diversity patterns of AM trees, emphasizing the role of AM associations in maintaining global forest biodiversity.
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  • The decline in species richness at higher latitudes is a key concept in ecology, with ongoing debates about how beta-diversity (species composition changes) affects overall gamma-diversity (total species richness).
  • Using new analytical methods, researchers found that after adjusting for biases, tropical forests exhibit higher beta-diversity compared to temperate forests, suggesting that beta-diversity plays a role in the latitudinal species richness gradient.
  • Increased niche specialization and niche marginality towards the equator indicate that tropical forests have tighter species packing and more available niches, highlighting the significance of local ecological processes in driving beta-diversity.
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Background: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been over 2 million deaths globally. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may be the main cause of death.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the clinical features, outcomes, and ARDS characteristics of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in Chongqing, China.

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This investigation characterizes an acyltransferase enzyme responsible for the pathogenicity of . The protein was characterized in vitro for its physicochemical properties. The biochemical characterization, including thermal and pH stability, revealed the 35 °C temperature and 7.

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Soil bacteria participate in nutrient cycling above and below ground to promote ecosystem stability and health. However, the relationship of soil bacteria and environmental factors following the Grain for Green (GfG) program remains poorly understood in southwest China. Soil samples were collected from seven Grain for Green sites that had been revegetated for 15 years.

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